In terms of the economy and flagship sectors, Porto is the second-largest city in Portugal and the capital of the Northern Region of Portugal. Situated along the estuary of the Douro River where it meets the Atlantic Ocean, Porto boasts a history spanning over 2,000 years and stands as one of Europe's most ancient and culturally rich urban centers. According to data from the Porto City Council and UNESCO, the Historic Centre of Porto was inscribed as a World Cultural Heritage site in 1996 in recognition of its outstanding architectural, urban planning, and maritime history values. The city is globally renowned for its Port wine production, remarkable architectural landscape, and high-quality living environment. In recent years, Porto has also emerged as a fast-growing European hub for innovation, technology, and startups, attracting numerous international enterprises, research institutes, and a highly skilled workforce.
Leaders of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee sign a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between the City People's Committee and the Porto City Government for the 2023-2025 period. - Photo: VOV Giao Thong
Economically, Porto serves as one of Portugal's key growth engines, with prominent strengths in information technology, financial services, logistics, creative industries, tourism, and scientific research. The city possesses a thriving innovation ecosystem powered by the presence of prestigious universities, research centers, and international tech firms. Port of Leixões—one of Portugal's largest seaports—plays a crucial role in the region's international trade and logistics operations. On the basis of the cooperative potential between the two localities, Ho Chi Minh City aims to expand cooperation with Porto in five key focus areas:
1. Innovation and Digital Transformation: Promoting cooperation among innovation centers, technology enterprises, and universities to develop digital technology solutions, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data, and smart cities.
2. Logistics, Seaports, and International Trade: Enhancing the exchange of experiences in seaport management, supply chain development, smart logistics, and trade connectivity between Ho Chi Minh City and European partners through Porto's port system.
3. Education, Research, and Human Resource Development: Expanding cooperation between higher education institutions, research institutes, and training organizations to upgrade human resource quality in science, technology, management, and innovation.
4. Tourism, Culture, and Creative Industries: Driving cultural exchanges, tourism promotion, and creative industry development, while leveraging heritage values to serve sustainable economic growth.
5. Sustainable Urban Development and Environment: Sharing experiences in urban planning, heritage conservation, public space development, green transit, and climate change response solutions.